Progressive filly Pivotal Ten completed an impressive hattrick of victories when she proved too tough on a testing Heavy 10 Wingatui surface to capture the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m).

Ridden by her trainer Samantha Wynne, the daughter of Ten Sovereigns had broken her maiden status on a Slow 7 surface at the venue back in October over 1200m before repeating the dose at Timaru a month later.

Given time to get over that run. Wynne presented the filly in superb condition for her biggest test to date and she didn’t disappoint after enjoying a dream run in the trail throughout the slowly run 1400m contest.

Wynne angled Pivotal Ten into the clear at the 300m as she set out after Lil Zena, who had shot through along the inner to take the lead and from there the pair set down to a tooth and nail battle which went in favour of Pivotal Ten by just on three quarters of a length.

Raced by Colin Wightman, who purchased her for $15,000 out of the Valachi Downs dispersal sale draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale in 2022, Pivotal Ten is a half-sister to the stakes placed mare Woodcote Lass and hails from an extended family that includes European Group One winner Maarek.

Wightman was impressed by the varied European bloodlines that the late Kevin Hickman had brought to his Valachi Downs breeding operation and was keen to secure the filly.

“Kevin had some really lovely mares from England and Ireland at Valachi and the pedigree of this filly included a high class sprinter in Maarek who won about seven or eight stakes races including a Group One,” Wightman said.

“The family had plenty of speed in it and Ten Sovereigns was also a speed machine so we expected this filly might get up and run.

“She is still developing and on the up and up, but she is just a super competitor who just wants to go out and win.

“We have spaced her races to give her plenty of time as we think she will be a much better four-year-old but you can’t argue with what she is doing now.

“This win means a lot and I’m thrilled with her as she didn’t really handle the track but it was her toughness that got her home.

“She may have a break now or we will hang around for some of the upcoming stakes races for the three-year-olds down here.”